Shabbos Makeup?

Aliza Hausman posted this recently and its been on my mind ever since. If I wear powder makeup normally, can I wear that on Shabbat? What makes this powder special? Why does it matter? Why is this powder different from all other powder?

I get wanting to find a way to wear makeup. I love to wear makeup when I want to look a bit prettier, and know many women who wear sheitels on Shabbat specifically because of the inability to wear makeup. But how does that create a need for a whole industry of halachically approved makeup? There are multiple websites which sell it, and every major frum website has insights about wearing makeup. Clearly its a thing, but it is beyond my comprehension.

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9 thoughts on “Shabbos Makeup?”

Here’s the deal:
The only makeup that is permissible to apply ON shabbos, is makeup that won’t stick. The impermanence makes it OK. That said, I don’t know anyone who buys it. My friends and I apply our regular makeup before Shabbos and whatever sticks, sticks. I never wear base anyway, I think it’s kinda gross, so whatever lip stuff and eye stuff stays, awesome. Some people wear too much and some people wear hardly any and some wear none. (Like the rest of humanity.) I must have sticky lips or eyelids or something because it usually stays. I think the whole Shabbos makeup industry is sort of silly and self-defeating. Personally, I buy mine at Target.

It sort of depends on the makeup you use since clearly the looser the powder the better. I didn’t even know about powder or use it until after college. Watching the woman talk about all that makeup just made me wig out and sick to my stomach. I can’t imagine putting that much thought into makeup but again, that’s me. I understand why women do what they have to do, especially when they live in a society–even within the Orthodox community–that expects them to look good at any cost.

I typically wear my makeup somewhat similar to those rules, so they don’t seem so crazy to me. I just don’t get the idea of having to buy special makeup if its just loose powder.
(Oh, and I so can’t sleep in it! My pillowcases tell the tale of my eye makeup when I forget to take it off!)

As I wrote, I personally rarely wear makeup but for most people in my family and most of my friends, the idea of going out in public without makeup is akin to going out in public naked or well, not fully dressed. Even if it’s only one day a week. As I said, I’m the kind of person that breaks out if I were not to wash it off the couple of times I use it and I imagine there are plenty of women like there.

Women are expected to look beautiful on Shabbos but told they can’t wear makeup, which is something that has been forced on them by society to become associated with beauty and getting dressed up. I remember for yearbook photos, even the girls who wore makeup and never got their hair done did both. I did neither and I heard about it for many weeks…mostly about how crazy I was though the photo turned out just fine.

I don’t think many women I know even feel like themselves without makeup on. It’s something they wear to make themselves more beautiful or cover up flaws or as battle gear to make it through the day. As you get older, I think it’s also expected though I put it off more and more.

So, it’s an interesting juxtaposition I didn’t discuss on my blog. On the day of the week that women are expected to look their best (let’s face it, some men wear a suit every day of the week and rarely have dedicated “Shabbos clothes” as many of my friends do), they can’t wear makeup at all. I don’t wear makeup at all on Shabbos…is that why I constantly get mistaken for a teenager more often on that day?

Therefore, and as I said, I won’t name names…I’ve met many women who keep Shabbos faithfully except for makeup or pile it on expertly before Shabbos. Unlike hair covering or pants, nobody talks about this one as much. Have you ever heard someone wonder “How does her makeup look so good on Shabbos? Maybe she puts it on ON Shabbos! Can I trust her kashrut?”

Honestly, I don’t judge or care. I blame society for telling women that they look better, prettier, more professional, more grown-up, with their face painted up than they do bare face. (Or with their hair straightened rather than their natural hair. I’ve met yeshivish women who use hair irons on Shabbos!) And even halakha can’t change this beauty battle for many women.

Is the powder “more loose” than regular powder? Otherwise, it seems like it would just be a marketing ploy. You can buy loose powder anywhere. I figure a little powder is not going to miraculously turn me into a beauty so I usually don’t worry about it :-)

There are actually specific halachot/ laws… (i know that these posts were a while ago, but i just discovered this blog :) ) Basically from what I remember, in order to put on makeup, it cannot go over any makeup that was there before (it is fully permissible to remove makeup on Shabbos) It needs to be on a clean face. In addition, it needs to be oil free. And as mentioned, a loose powder… There are a few more points, but the point of the sale of Shabbos makeup, I think it to make it easier for some women to know which makeup is oil-free or loose enough…
I personally just put on Revlon waterproof eyeliner before Shabbos and it stays throughout…

My confusion comes from wondering why I need to use a specific brand of make-up for Shabbat and Yovim Tovim.

I find Shabbat make-up rather easy. Maybe it has to do with my background as a model.
Except for the most casual of activities, I find myself much more comfortable in make-up.

I do my routine before Shabbat starts then during Shabbat I might pat spots on my face to blot oil or brush my brows when I brush my hair but that is all I do. It is not uncomfortable and I do sleep in it over night without a problem. Sunday is one of my days for giving my skin a deep cleaning so there are no chances for skin problems to erupt from this type of use.

None of the products I use are advertised as specifically for Shabbat. They are all from companies who support Israel – L’oreal, Revlon and Avon. I simply look for things which claim extended wear. I do my make-up application after my shower then spray with a moisturizing skin spray then I am ready for my candles to be lit.

There are certain things I do on a regular basis which I suppose in a sense keeps me ready for any yom tov at any time.
1-At one point in my life I was taking a medication which gave me terrible hand tremors. I was given the go ahead for permanent make-up. Thus I do not have to worry about eyeliner or lipliner.
2-My eyebrows were also partially filled in and I dye the brow hairs with a dye for men’s facial hair so I never worry about doing anything but brushing my brows.

I am sure there is nothing wrong with anyone dying their eyebrows. The permanent make-up issue I suppose depends on your LOR but mine gave me the go ahead.